Young Indigenous knowledge will be on display in Saskatoon over the next couple days.
Over 60 teams from First Nations across Saskatchewan are participating in the FSIN First Nations Science Fair.
The young teams are representing all of the tribal councils in the province in hopes to be one of the four presentations selected for a national science fair later this year.
The presentations range from cleaning contaminated water, to volcanoes, to what cardboard works best for dispensing candy.
Also at the competition are several displays on the science behind traditional Indigenous knowledge. These displays include examinations on the sound reverberation of First Nation drums, the chemical makeup of traditional medicines, as well as the physics behind tipis.
Star Sundown and Darrian Moosehunter, two 15-year-olds from Sturgeon Lake First Nation, have a presentation on many forms of traditional knowledge. Their displays examine the science behind practices like smudging and beadwork.
Sundown believes understanding the science behind these tradition values is important for young people.
“With alcohol and drugs, gangs and popular name brands, we are forgetting who we are,” said Sundown. “Behind the stories and legends are teaching — we didn’t even realize were there.”
Over the next two days, four judges will select the four presentations who will represent this science fair at a Canada-wide science fair in Ottawa in May.
(PHOTO: Star Sundown and Darrian Moosehunter present their display on traditional Indigenous knowledge. Photo by Joel Willick.)